<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Defanged by SeeThemFlying</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27360259">Defanged</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeeThemFlying/pseuds/SeeThemFlying'>SeeThemFlying</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>And enjoys the process, Brienne dwells on the trauma Roelle inflicted on her, F/M, Fluff, Halloween Inspired Fluff, I don't, Jaime gets rendered harmless, after the endgame, because who has time for depressing stuff at the moment, book canon, then moves past it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:46:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27360259</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeeThemFlying/pseuds/SeeThemFlying</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>de·fang</p><p>tr.v. de·fanged, de·fang·ing, de·fangs<br/>1. to remove the fangs from (an animal or reptile, for example)<br/>2. to remove the power or threat of; render harmless.</p><p>Or Brienne learns she is not a monster and Jaime discovers home.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>147</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Defanged</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I know it is now (checks watch) the third of November, and this was meant to be for Halloween, but better late than ever!</p><p>I have really struggled with getting my writing groove on recently, so this was a tiny attempt to get me back into it. Please let me know what you think! I have had many writing/self-confidence/personal/pandemic crises over the last few days, so I would love to hear what you think if you enjoyed this little fluff fest.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>de·fang</strong>
</p><p>tr.v. de·fanged, de·fang·ing, de·fangs<br/>
1. to remove the fangs from (an animal or reptile, for example)<br/>
2. to remove the power or threat of; render harmless.</p><p>-*-*-*-</p><p>When Brienne was a little girl, she never went to Septa Roelle for bedtime stories, as she always tried to imbue them with a moralising lesson that made Brienne a little sad; Jonquil's only character trait seemed to be her radiant beauty, Brave Danny Flint was a foolish girl who had it coming, and Argella Durrandon was climbing too high, desperately trying to take things that were not rightfully hers.</p><p>"Badly behaved girls just end up as bloody examples in bedtime stories," Septa Roelle had said once, after giving Brienne a whipping so hard her backside bled, all for watching the Master-at-Arms sparring in the yard when she should have been embroidering her copy of the Seven Pointed Star. "So you must not be a bad girl, Brienne, or you might end up like Danny Flint or Argella Durrandon; sold and abused and lost - a shame to your father - instead of bedded and wedded as a bride."</p><p>To Brienne's innocent mind, the way Roelle described marriage, there was not much between being <em>sold and abused and lost </em>and being <em>bedded and wedded as a bride. </em>Nevertheless, it was not Roelle's sharp words Brienne remembered, but the way her septa's eyes had glimmered in the dark; cruel and bright and full of malice. In the years after the whipping and the angry rebuke, monsters hiding in the darkest edges of bedtime stories always had Roelle's face.</p><p>Given her Septa's sharp claws, when Brienne wanted a story, she instead went down to the kitchens to see Elenei. Elenei was a young scullery maid from Morne, with a round face,  dimples, and kind eyes that marked her out as a friend. Although she had many duties to attend to around Evenfall Hall, Elenei nevertheless always found the time to sneak the future Evenstar half a lemon cake or a sugar stick and talk to Brienne as if she were someone interesting, and not her father's shame.</p><p>"Can you tell me a story, Elenei?" Brienne asked for the thousandth time.</p><p>The scullery maid smiled, set to tease. "Why, m'lady? Surely you have books and a Septa..."</p><p>"You tell the best stories," said Brienne, excitedly. It was only when Elenei continued to look sceptical that she elaborated. "Septa Roelle just uses them to tell me I am a bad girl who can never be in a song... whereas you..."</p><p>At that explanation, Elenei's eyebrows almost disappeared into her dark hair, while she clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Why would you never be in a story, m'lady?"</p><p>Brienne blinked. It seemed a foolish question, given the obvious. Ladies were only ever in stories and songs if they were beautiful enough for a brave knight to fall in love with. Brienne was freakish rather than beautiful, or so Roelle had told her, so she did not understand why Elenei seemed so mystified.</p><p>"Well," Brienne began, nibbling at her bottom lip as she went to explain by repeating Roelle's words, "only beautiful ladies are in stories, and I am not..."</p><p>At once, Brienne was interrupted by one of Elenei's indignant tuts, before the scullery maid pointed one soapy hand at Brienne in a kindly rebuke. "You've got to sit down if you want a story, and say nothing more about your supposed lack of beauty," Elenei chided gently. "I've got to scrub these pans, and I can't do that <em>and </em>tell you a story if you are running around the kitchen being self-defeating."</p><p>Armed with her sugar stick and Elenei's reassuring words, Brienne sat down on one of the stools by the sink, all gangly legs and wide eyes. "What story are you going to tell me, Elenei?"</p><p>"What type of story do you want? A romance?"</p><p>Brienne pulled a face as she was in no mood for sentimental love stories. That morning, Roelle had sat her before a mirror and pointed out each of her flaws one at a time; her crooked nose, her freckles, her lanky hair, and told her it was unbefitting for a lady. Consequently, Brienne was feeling too sore to hear about the romance she would never have, so desired something different.</p><p>"No, not a romance," said Brienne, shaking her head. "Have you got a story about a monster? I want to hear about a monster being slain." She thought of the cruel glint in Roelle's eye. "I want to hear about brave heroes and knights and monsters with fangs..."</p><p>As Brienne almost got lost in her own daring tale, Elenei let out a little laugh. "I don't know if I have stories like that, m'lady, but I do have a story of a knight and a man, or is it a man and a monster?"</p><p>"Yes please!" cried Brienne. "Tell me that one!"</p><p>And so Elenei the scullery maid told the story that would change Brienne's life forever.</p><p>"Once there was a knight with golden bright hair and a cloak as red as blood. His father was the richest man in Westeros, and their castle was built on gold mines so deep they went down through all Seven Hells. Yet in spite of his wealth and his power, the young knight wanted power and prestige beyond that his gold mines or his gilded sword could give him. No, what he wanted was to be a king, because he thought a golden circlet would sit well upon his golden curls, and that a crown would let him truly revel in the darkness that lay within."</p><p>Brienne's eyes immediately went as wide as saucers. She could barely understand. "He wanted to be a king? Why? Especially when he could be a knight?"</p><p>"Some men need power as much as they need air, m'lady," said Elenei as she scrubbed a pot in the sink. "They don't care that the smallfolk suffer or that women and children are slaughtered. They care for themselves and themselves alone, and they will kill anybody that stands in their way to obtain what they want. They are monsters in men's clothing."</p><p>Brienne furrowed her brow in confusion, baffled by what Elenei was saying. "Septa Roelle told me monsters are hideous; with fangs and freckles, crooked teeth and crooked noses. Yet the young knight is..."</p><p>"Handsome, aye," said Elenei, a mischievous smile crossing her homely face. "The most handsome man in the kingdom. Maidens swooned over him - as well as some men - and when he was knighted for valour by Arthur Dayne, the greatest knight in the realm, the kingdom thought a new dawn had risen."</p><p>"Were they wrong?" asked Brienne, taking a small bite of her sugar stick.</p><p>"Entirely. While darkness always eventually follows dawn, he summoned it faster. Although the young knight was handsome and brave, he soiled the Kingsguard cloak almost as soon as he put it around his shoulders. When the realm rebelled against his king, the young knight was sworn to protect him, in spite of any faults the man may have. He swore an oath... a <em>holy </em>oath, yet when the rebels swarmed on the capital, the young knight wasted no time in slitting his king's throat and letting his blood drip down the stairs. I say he did it to be king, to save his own wretched neck."</p><p>"He killed his own king... while a member of the Kingsguard?" Brienne babbled in dawning horror. "Surely there is nothing more wicked in the entire world?"</p><p>Elenei nodded slowly, then put a soapy hand on Brienne's cheek. "Jaime Lannister murdered his king and earned the name <em>Kingslayer </em>for his crime, yet 'till this day is beautiful and vain and rich because of all the mines of Casterly Rock, his father's name, and his skill with a blade. So, tell me again, Lady Brienne, that a true monster must have fangs and freckles when a man like <em>that </em>exists. A man with a heart as black as pitch."</p><p>Lost as Elenei's monster clashed with every other one that had appeared in stories she had heard before, Brienne stared at the scullery maid, beholding her from her dark hair and crooked teeth to her deep, almost black, eyes. She did not know what to say. Could such a man be a monster when he dressed like a hero?</p><p>"I... I... cannot..." said Brienne eventually, nibbling her lip as she did so.</p><p>Elenei tilted her head, her confusion writ large in her expression. "And why not?"</p><p>"I don't know... this is not a story I know how to understand..."</p><p>"One day you will, m'lady," said Elenei, pinching Brienne's cheek. "One day you will be able to tell me whether Jaime Lannister is a man or a monster, and the day you work it out I want to hear it straight from you."</p><p>Brienne nodded, hoping that she would have the answer soon. It seemed as if Elenei had wisdom beyond her status as a scullery maid, and Brienne longed to impress her.</p><p>Unfortunately, the next day Septa Roelle called her an ungainly cow because she had grown too tall for one of her dresses, and Brienne put aside Elenei's story.</p><p><em>It doesn't matter if the Kingslayer is a monster or not, </em>she thought, <em>because I know I am, regardless. Septa Roelle told me.</em></p><p>
  <em>I have fangs.</em>
</p><p>-*-*-*-</p><p>"Smile, wench," purred Jaime as he helped her off her horse in the yard of Evenfall Hall. "Your father will be more inclined to accept you have wed the wretched Kingslayer if you give him one of your pretty smiles."</p><p>Knowing that her new husband was trying to tease her, Brienne scowled as her feet landed on the ground. "I <em>have</em> no pretty smiles."</p><p>Jaime rolled his eyes, then leant in and pressed a kiss on the corner of her mouth. In spite of herself, her lips curled up into a little smile - sweet and embarrassed and full of pleasure - and it made Jaime's own grin grow larger. "There you go, there is one of those pretty smiles I was talking about."</p><p>"You are infuriating," she said, trying to suppress her both her blush and her laughter. "And despicable."</p><p>"But you love me, don't you?" he replied. "In spite of my many flaws." Every inch of him glowed with sunlight.</p><p>There was no room in her heart for lies anymore.</p><p>"Dearly."</p><p>He burned as bright as a candle, the only light on a stormy night.</p><p>"I love you too, my lady," said Jaime, lifting her hand to his mouth for a kiss. "And now we have our armour on, let's go face your father, and tell him that you are my lady wife."</p><p>Evenfall Hall was much changed since Brienne had last seen it - mostly due to the devastation wrought by Aegon's invasion of the island - but her father's study was still up in the east tower overlooking the sea. The servants exchanged worried glances as Brienne and Jaime ascended the stairs in the entrance hall, but she tried to ignore them.</p><p><em>I have chosen him, </em>she thought. <em>And he has chosen me.</em></p><p>Nevertheless, when they reached the door, Brienne found herself frozen to the spot, staring unseeingly at the deep mahogany in front of her. Her father was waiting for her just feet away, yet she could not bring herself to knock, could not bring herself to move. What if her father hated her as a monster? Neither man nor woman but freak? What if he sent her to exile for marrying a man that was not only once a Kingsguard, but had one of the worst reputations in the Seven Kingdoms? What if--?</p><p>Only Jaime tugging her hand enabled her to turn away from her fears</p><p>"Wench," said Jaime, his voice as soft as silk, "what is the matter?"</p><p>She struggled to speak. "What do I say to him? How do I make him understand about... about <em>us</em>?"</p><p>Jaime smiled softly, then pressed a kiss to her temple. "You tell him the truth, because that is all that matters."</p><p><em>The truth, what is the truth? </em>wondered Brienne.</p><p>Was it the story Jaime had told her in the bath, full of wildfire, lies, and a lifetime of hiding? Was it the sister who had sunk her claws in to him and told him he was hateful, just like her? Was it the boy pushed from the window? Or was it the way Jaime protected Brienne, and gave her a sword, an oath, and a purpose? Or that he kissed her deep, kissed her hard, kissed her breathless, and made her feel like a lady in a song? Was hers and Jaime's love the story of a monster and a maiden, two demons lost in the dark, or two broken knights on the road home? </p><p>She was about to find out.</p><p>When Brienne and her new husband entered the room, they discovered Lord Selwyn Tarth was sitting by the window, looking out across the sea. He looked older and more tired than the last time Brienne had seen him, but his sky blue eyes rapidly filled with tears when he turned and saw her, just as they had the night before she left all those moons ago.</p><p>"Brienne," he croaked, too overcome to rise from his chair. "Brienne..."</p><p>Her father opened his arms and before she could stop herself, Brienne had launched herself forward and thrown herself into them, then let him pat his hair.</p><p>"Oh, my sweetling, oh Brienne! I never thought I would see you again! What has happened to your face?"</p><p>Although Brienne had been determined not to cry, before long she was weeping against her father's shoulder, as she wrapped her arms around him. "I am sorry, Father. I should have come back the moment I heard that Aegon had taken Tarth, but Lady Sansa was not safe..."</p><p>"You could have come home."</p><p>"I could not," replied Brienne. "Sansa had only just arrived back at Winterfell, and she needed friendly faces..."</p><p>"I care naught for the Stark girl's safety, I just wanted <em>you</em> to be safe," said her father, pulling away so he could look at her, "I wanted you to be home on your island, with a husband who could protect you and the hope of children, children... that is all I ever wanted for you, Brienne. Your safety."</p><p>As she smiled at her father, overcome by his happiness at her return, Brienne gestured back towards Jaime. "With that thought in mind, Father, I would like to introduce you to someone who has done more than most to protect me." She linked her arm with his and tried not to melt at the way he pulled her closer. "This is Ser Jaime Lannister."</p><p>The Lion of Lannister smiled, all pearly teeth and golden hair. He was a jewel made flesh.</p><p>"It is wonderful to meet you, Lord Tarth."</p><p>In spite of Jaime's opening pleasantries, her father's expression turned unsurprisingly stony. "Why have you brought him here? The rumours about you being... you being... the Kinglayer's <em>mistress </em>is already abound. Bringing him here only inflames things."</p><p>"Brienne is not my mistress, ser," interjected Jaime. "Brienne is my wife."</p><p>If Selwyn Tarth had looked old and ill before that revelation, he seemed to be on death's door afterwards.</p><p>"Your... your... <em>wife?" </em>spluttered Brienne's Father. "But that means..."</p><p>"Brienne is Lady Lannister and Lady of Casterly Rock, yes," replied Jaime, and Brienne could not help but revel in how natural it felt. "I am sorry we were unable to write, but the winter and the war being how they are meant it was difficult to find a raven flying south."</p><p>Lord Tarth dabbed his brow with his sleeve, overcome by this latest news. Remembering her previous betrotheds, Brienne dearly hoped her father saw her beloved Jaime as an improvement on the line of monstrosities he had attempted to tie her to.</p><p>"This turn of events," began Lord Selwyn, eventually, "is... unexpected... I'll admit..."</p><p>"Not least of all to me," continued Jaime, adroitly picking up where Brienne's Father left off. Brienne could not help but admire the ease with which he navigated social situations. "That I love and cherish Brienne as much as I do came as a complete surprise to me when I first discovered it, but I knew in a heartbeat it was true. I know my honour may not be worth much to you, my lord, but I swear I will do everything in my power to protect Brienne and provide her with a safe and happy home."</p><p>Jaime said everything so ardently that Brienne could not help but pull him into a kiss - gentle and grateful and reassuring - before turning back to her father. Selwyn Tarth looked as if he had been shaken to his very core.</p><p>"Father, I <em>know</em> you may have been lining up another arrangement for me, and I <em>know </em>Jaime's reputation is not the best, but we can sit down after Jaime and I have had time to get clean from our journey and explain everything..."</p><p>To her surprise, her father waved his hand at her gently, a kind smile on his face. "Of course, Brienne. You must tell me everything, because it is a story that clearly has many twists and turns, and one that I must understand. But first you should rest. The explaining will take some time, as will the second cloaking in the sept."</p><p>"Father..." said Brienne, astounded that he was taking this so easily.</p><p>"Brienne, you and your husband must <em>rest </em>in your home, as is right," announced Lord Selwyn, getting to his feet. "I will call the servants to unpack your belongings, but not before I show you to your rooms."</p><p>Brienne barely had time to steal a surprised glance at Jaime before they were led from the room.</p><p>-*-*-*-</p><p>After they had retired to their rooms, washed, and changed, Brienne knew there was one more person in Evenfall Hall that she needed Jaime to be introduced to.</p><p>"It is not your miserable old septa, is it?" he said sourly, "because if it is, I will give that bitch a piece of my mind."</p><p>Brienne rolled her eyes playfully at his chivalry. "I would not inflict Roelle on you if she were the last person in the world. No. I wish for you to meet one of the other servants, who used to tell me stories as a child. If she is still here, she will be down in the kitchen."</p><p>As luck would have it, Elenei was still at Evenfall Hall, but now she wore the cook's attire rather than that of a scullery maid. She was revelling in bossing around some of the younger women, who had evidently been instructed to prepare a feast. "No! I told you to stir the soup, girl, <em>stir </em>it, not splash it around like you are bathing in the sea. I... oh, it is Lady Brienne!"</p><p>At the mention of her name every person in the kitchen - from bell boy to butler - froze, then immediately went about tugging their forelocks like grateful serfs at the presence of the Evenstar's daughter and her mystery lord. Elenei was among them. "Lady Brienne," she said, dropping into a brief curtsey. "I did not know you had returned."</p><p>Not wanting Elenei to bend and scrape, Brienne held out her hand and helped the woman to her feet. Elenei gave her a bashful smile. "I have not been back long; I only just saw my father, but I also thought it was important to introduce you to someone."</p><p>"Me?" asked Elenei, baffled. "But I am just the cook..."</p><p>Ignoring Elenei's confused response, Brienne gestured to Jaime just as she had done in her father's solar, and he came to take his place beside her. "Elenei, I would like to introduce you to one of the characters from a story you told me when I was small. This is Ser Jaime Lannister, formally of the Kingsguard and now Lord of Casterly Rock."</p><p>The other servants in the kitchen let out a little gasp of shock and horror at Brienne's pronouncement, but she hardly cared, as all her attention was on Elenei. Although Elenei's eyes momentarily darted confusedly between Jaime and Brienne, the cook eventually gave another swift curtsey, before dropping her eyes to the floor.</p><p>"Welcome to Evenfall Hall, m'lord. Is there anything that we can do to be of service during your visit?"</p><p>At Elenei's question, Jaime turned to Brienne and nodded at her encouragingly, clearly understanding that she had something important to say. Armed with his support, Brienne reached out and touched Elenei's shoulder, which caused the woman to look up. There was an unexpected fear in her gaze.</p><p>"Many years ago, you told me a story about a young knight who slew his king and asked me to decide for myself whether he was a man or a monster," he said gently, wanting to set the scene of that long ago day for her old friend. "I promised you that I would tell you as soon as I knew, so now I am here to proudly say that Ser Jaime - my husband - is a man, not a monster, who I love very, very dearly."</p><p>Jaime had clearly not been expecting that heartfelt declaration, as he stepped forward and took her hand, conveying his love for her in the softness of his gaze and the tenderness of his touch. Elenei's whole expression changed at that one intimate gesture, and her shoulders dropped giving her a more relaxed posture as Brienne's love for her husband radiated from her skin.</p><p>"M'lady," said Elenei gently, while Brienne was still distracted by the particular green of her husband's eyes. "You know I was not really asking you to consider whether Ser Jaime was a man or a monster, don't you?"</p><p>Brienne tore herself away from Jaime to turn to Elenei. She smiled at her gratefully.</p><p>"I know, Elenei, and I now have an answer to your true question too. Monsters do not have fangs, but black hearts and terrible motives. And by that criteria, neither Ser Jaime or myself are monsters... in fact, quite the opposite."</p><p>She could not resist leaning forward to kiss Jaime after that declaration - which caused a little <em>awww </em>to break out amongst the servants - but Brienne hardly heard them.</p><p>In his kiss, in his love, Brienne truly felt defanged.</p><p>-*-*-*-</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks so much for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>